Thanksgiving Social Media Ideas to Boost your Business!!!

Social Media Marketing should never be underestimated, especially during the holidays.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday just around the corner; I’d like to offer ideas on how to maximize your return on social media efforts during the holidays. 

START PLANNING NOW! Know what your are doing and when. Schedule post times to ensure you are being consistent. 

1. ITS NOT JUST THANKSGIVING DAY OR BLACK FRIDAY.

Make it Thanksgiving week and Cyber Week. Skin your social media pages with a touch of the holiday spirit as early as right now. Schedule a series of social posts for publishing each day during the week of Thanksgiving.

Get creative with your hashtagging as well. Check out previous hashtags others in your space have used in the past. Create your own branded hashtag. (want to learn more on hashtags see my blogpost --->> http://lessocialsolutions.blogspot.com/2015/12/just-few-tips-to-help-you-grow-your.html )

2. MAKE IT PERSONAL.

This time of year switches the focus to friends and family, and often gets lost in the online world where we forget there are human beings behind the brands we interact with online.

I suggest posting photos of your office holiday hijinks. Audiences will appreciate this (because we’re innately nosy) and they will be more likely to make contact with you. Get creative, and give your page a human face!

3. ENGAGE WITH LIVE THANKSGIVING DAY EVENTS.

With travel, family and cooking, a large portion of NFL fans will not be able watch all 8 hours of NFL action on Turkey day, so live tweet the action for them.

The three NFC games that the NFL schedule makers have so graciously provided for us to feast on this year will make it the most competitive Turkey day of football in recent memory.

PRO TIP: Live tweet any game day roster, weather or betting spread changes to give your followers an extra edge.

4. RUN A THANKSGIVING OR BLACK FRIDAY THEMED GIVEAWAY, SWEEPSTAKES OR CONTEST.

There is a reason it’s called thanks “giving.” On that day, offer to give away something for free such as free shipping or a gift with every purchase.

Need help or have questions on how you can use these ideas comment below or message me @ leslielynch04@gmail.com 

3 Ways to Use Video To Get More Reach on Your Facebook Page

1. Use Facebook LIVE 

Don’t panic just because I said Facebook Live. I know that can be scary but listen up real quick, because the opportunity with Facebook LIVE is immense! Facebook is GIVING reach to those that Facebook Live. Yep, you heard it here. Facebook actually pushes FREE reach to your live-streams and the longer you are live, the more free reach you receive. 

If you decide that Facebook LIVE is something you want to try, please don’t go at it with no plan. Make sure you show up and be prepared to be valuable to your viewers in some way. You want to make a difference in their life in some way that is relevant to them.

2. Use the Create Slideshow on Your Fan Page to Create A Video

Facebook really wants us to share more video and they are making it easier and easier for us to do just that! This option is on your fan page when you click to post a status. You can choose 3-7 photos and Facebook will turn them into a video clip.  I recently created a slideshow of photos I took of me goofing around with Snapchat filters. It was amazingly quick and easy to do! I am sure you will find that these videos will receive more reach than your average post.

3. Use Video-Making Apps To Create Awesome Videos Quickly and Easily

I do this ALL the time…use my phone to create amazing video content, quick and easy! Here are a few of my favorite apps!

1. Artisto

One that I found fairly recently that is not only pretty nifty but also very unique. I am always about what is different and not something that everyone else is doing. What will catch people’s eye. I think this is definitely one of those resources! Artisto is available for both ios and android devices.

Video Playe

2.  VivaVideo  

You can edit photos and create slideshow videos, add music and more!!!

Viva Video is available for both ios and Androld devices. 

Now that you know #1 thing you should be doing on Facebook every day and you have resources to get busy with it; all that’s left is the doing part :-)! Who is in?

Do you have any amazing video tools that you would like to share? I am always looking for good stuff! Drop ’em into the comments below.

SNAPCHAT and Your Business

What is Snapchat?
It's the popular mobile app that allows you to send videos and pictures, both of which will self destruct after a few seconds of a person viewing them. Snapchat is also a fun messaging app. You can take a photo or a video with it, then add a caption or doodle or lens graphic over top, and send it to a friend.

This statistic provides information on the distribution of U.S. Snapchat users as of February 2016, sorted by age group. 

Just think you could target a whole new group of customers by using snapchat!!! 

So how exactly does Snapchat work? Here are answers to some of the more common questions about the app’s main features:

Can you edit photos like you can with Instagram?

Yes. Snapchat doesn’t offer as many filters as Instagram, but it does include a selection of fun editing tools for sending photos and videos to your friends:

• Filter: Swipe left or right on your photo for filters that can denote the outside temperature, your speed, the time, geographical locations and more.
• Draw: Tap the pencil at the top-right of your screen to draw over your photo or video. With the color spectrum, you can turn an average selfie into a cool piece of art.

• Type: Tap the “T” on your photo/video to add personalized text. It will first appear in a black box, but keep tapping to see your options for left- or center-aligned white text.

Tip: Tap the icon beside the timer to instantly save the photo to your phone’s gallery.

Discover five ways to use Snapchat for business.

Why Snapchat?

With over 100 million daily active users and 400 million snaps per day, Snapchat is one of the fastest-growing social networks. As you might already assume, 71% of Snapchat’s U.S. users fall into the 18 to 34 age range. Even if your audience doesn’t fall in that demographic, Snapchat is becoming a vital part of global marketing strategies.

You can have a lot of fun with the platform’s native tools and features by adding filters, geofilters, text, emojis, music and more, all from within the platform.

#1: Provide Access to Live Events

Snapchat is perfect for real-time social media marketing because it can give the audience direct access to live events. You can use it for product launches, trade shows or one-of-a-kind events like the 1,000th customer to shop in your store. Snapchat gets your audience excited because you’re providing a different, more authentic view of what’s going on at the event.

#2: Deliver Private Content

You can also use Snapchat to provide special content to your audience that they might not receive on other digital platforms. Think of something unique to surprise your community of followers.

#3: Offer Contests, Perks or Promotions

Everyone loves social media giveaways and promotions, so think of ways you can keep your followers coming back for more. For example, you could offer promo codes or discounts to the fans who watch your entire Snapchat story, or ask them to take a snap while holding your product.

#4: Take People Behind the Curtain

With Snapchat, you can provide behind-the-scenes content to your community, which helps create and engage a strong following. Show off your company and make sure to have fun with it. Capture birthday parties, Friday afternoons or company outings. The sky’s the limit on showing how your brand differentiates itself with company culture.

#5: Partner With Influencers

Just like with Instagram and other social channels, social media influencers on Snapchat can help spread brand awareness and reach. By partnering with influencers, you can spread awareness to a demographic that’s hard to reach through traditional media.

Keep in mind, too, that influencers who are skilled with the Snapchat platform can create spectacular video content that can further enhance your brand voice and personality.

Comment and let me know your thoughts and comments. 

Are you on snapchat? Add me --- leslynch04

Facebook Friday's

Let's Network!!!
Facebook  Friday is an opportunity for us to network together.  Support each other.  Meet new people.

https://www.facebook.com/Les-Social-Solutions-1505825976382400/

Everyone is welcome to post their page. If you are reading this then you are part of our circle and we want to support your business/team/charity/club/event!!  Who knows, there may be people that need your services or want to join your cause!

How Does it Work?  
 – Post the link to Your Fan / Business Page, or a Page that you Like in the Comments.
 – If you want to add a sentence or so about your business/team/charity/club/event you can.
then
 – Check out the other Pages Posted, maybe there are a few you will Like!
– Come back throughout the day to watch for comments on your post, and to see more pages.
Take it to the Next Level!
 – Get active with others posts.  We all like commenting!
 – Tip: If you Tag Yourself in the photo that we host (it will be the graphic above) Facebook will notify you when there is new activity.
 – Share the Opportunity! Bring your friends Pages to the Party. Share and let them know to join in!
Not Every Week…
– We won’t host one every week, but when we do, you need to participate.  There will be new and different eyes…or maybe they saw you in the last Fan Page Friday but didn’t Like the Page.  Jump in there!  It’s Fun!

Incite Action on your Facebook Page!

Did you know that the number of likes, shares and comments on your post determines how many people will be exposed to it. These interactions not only appear on the timeline of the people who engaged with your post, making them visible to all of their friends, but they also tell Facebook to rank your post highly and give it prominence on your followers' timeline. 

Don't be afraid to ask people to like, share or tag their friends in your posts. If you provide them with great content they'll be happy to do so.  Additionally, try to upload posts that encourage  this type of engagement, like:

I have exactly 1,771 Facebook friends (kinda cool huh?!) and I'm going to assume less than 5% are seeing my posts. Can you please put a 😘 or a ❤just please COMMENT and NOT like. A meme, a sticker, anything in the comments will do. Please and thank you! Liking will not affect Facebook's algorithm but commenting will. You all are the best!!! ‪#‎dreamsdontworkunlessyoudo‬

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I support Friends who sell Stuff!!! Comment below your business & Facebook page!! Once you have added your info please take a few minutes to like everyone's pages. Let's show our support.

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Carry a little sunshine wherever you go. Make a $50 purchase on anything in our collection (excluding Snaps) and earn the Turquoise Sun Pendant for $7.99. Retail value $15.99. buff.ly/22ff2o5  **Click Share to tell your friends!!

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Tell your friends by clicking share --- Tots Teens and in Be-tweens is on Facebook and Twitter!!! Follow them by clicking below:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/totsteensandinbetweens/?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TotsTeensPcola

March Madness

Happy March 2016

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Want to try something different to take your business to the next level in the month of March?

Utilizing Social Media host your very own March Madness campaign!!!

Not sure where to start?  Les Social Solutions has you covered!!! We will help you plan and put your March Madness in play!!! Comment below, call, text or email to start your March Madness today!!!

March Madness plans start at $15!!!

Ways to Use Selfies in Your Marketing

Are you a Business Owner?  Do you love taking Selfies? Why not use them in helping your Business Grow!!!

Ways to Use Selfies in Your Marketing

If you would like to capitalize on the popularity of selfies in your own marketing strategy, here are 6 ways you can do so!

1.  Contest: Get fans and followers to take selfies with your products.

Hold a contest that encourages your fans and followers to take photos of themselves with your product. Get them to not only post the photo to your Facebook wall or with a contest hashtag on Twitter or Instagram, but also to share the photo with friends to increase your reach.

2.  Contest: Get fans and followers to take selfies at your place of business.

This is the same idea as #1, however this one is ideal for local businesses. Hold a contest where the best ‘on location’ selfie wins! This one is great for generating a buzz for your local brick and mortar business.

3.  Offer a discount in exchange for a selfie.

How much is increased exposure worth to you? 5% 10%? More? Offer a discount to your customers or clients with every selfie posted to your wall, or posted with a relevant company hashtag on Twitter or Instagram.

You may want to encourage people to take a photo with your product, in your business, or somehow incorporating your logo.

4.  Hold a cause-related selfie campaign.

If you are looking to raise public awareness about an issue or cause while expanding your reach at the same time, holding a selfie campaign could be a good move for you.

 5. Feature a fan’s selfie.

Ask your fans or followers to submit a selfie with your product, and then choose one image to feature as the ‘Fan Selfie of the Week’. Kind of like a contest, but the ‘prize’ is simply the adoration of, and recognition by, the rest of your fans!

The use of selfies shows no sign of diminishing, particularly on social media, so why not leverage their popularity by incorporating them into your marketing strategy?

So now that you have some awesome ways to use selfies in your marketing, I’m curious to know if you’ve ever used selfies in your marketing?

 Is it something you think you might try?

Let me know below! Comment below ---

Who are we ---

Les Social Solutions --- 

Social Media Adviser for local family owned businesses and individuals.  

We promote your business & events.  We offer Social Media services, webinars, and promotions. 

 

With over 2 billion people in the world using social media, to not use it as a source to continue to brand your business is just crazy! Social media connects you to a multitude of people in an instant! Whether you have social media accounts already created or not, we can help you to expand your reach which in return will expand your customer base. We will take over any social media accounts you may have, create any you don't have & then begin to post for you. Daily posts as well as interaction with customer feedback is all you need to get your business that little extra reach out to your customers. Posts can include anything from daily specials, promotions going on at the time, inspirational or funny material relating to your business field, events taking place with your business, etc. 

Contact us today to create a Social Solution just for you and your business!!

Instagram Dos and Don'ts

Do you want to become a master of Instagram, here’s a few Instagram DOS and DON’TS to get your business on the right track.

Instagram Dos and Don'ts 

DO use high quality photos and with a consistent style. Feel free to edit your photos but use a set of similar filters to make for a more professional feel.  
DO use hashtags to categorize your content. You can also use hashtags to track content generated by your users or for a contest even. 

DO design beautiful quotes  and share them in your Instagram feed for variety. If you don't want to use Photoshop, there's plenty of apps you can use to produce them. Plus, #quotes can make for a great hashtag to get additional views throughout the platform.

DO follow users in your niche and interact with them. After all, Instagram is a "social" network, so be social!  

DO share behind-the-scenes of your business, sneak peeks of upcoming releases. This will give your followers a little insight inside your brand and humanize it for the better. 

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DON’T post more than 1 to 3 times a day and avoid posting several photos in a row. Space out your posts.

DON’T neglect to write a good bio for your account and don’t forget to include the link to your website in your Instagram profile.  

DON’T forget to add a caption for every post! Instagram isn’t only about hashtags, captions matter, so put some thought into them and above all, don’t forget to engage: ask questions for instance. 

DON’T neglect to offer a reason to follow you. You are a brand, not friends or family. So followers will expect rewards from time to time. A contest, a promotion, goodies… Sharing valuable content is key. 

Follow Les Social Solutions on Instagram 

Consistency

CONSISTENCY IS KEY when using social media to promote you and your business!!!

Key tips:

Tone: Using a consistent tone in your tweets, Facebook and LinkedIn updates, and pins. You’re not casual in some updates and uptight and too professional in others.

Timing: If you’ve determined that you’re posting only Monday to Friday from 9 to 5, then stick to that. If you post on weekends (since studies show that engagement is high on Saturday and Sunday), then do that consistently.

Frequency: Posting on social once a day? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that if that’s all you can do. Just make sure you’re sticking to a consistent schedule. I actually suggest to post at least 3 to 5 times a day. Of course different times a day not all at once.

Message: As discussed above, you need to be consistent in the type of information you’re sharing. If you’re building thought leadership by sharing news articles, then do that regularly.

Engagement: Are you responding to some tweets but not to others? Better change that—having a more predictable and repeatable approach to engagement strengthens your community on social.

Timing is Everything

Timing is Everything 

when it comes to Social Media Marketing 

For the last few weeks I have been keeping track of the most likes, retweets, shares, comments, messages, etc .. and these are the best times to post to the most popular social media networks. Each day seemed to be about the same time frame Monday - Friday. 

 

FACEBOOK: 1 PM - 4 PM 

& 

9 PM - 11 PM 

TWITTER: 1 PM - 3 PM 

INSTAGRAM: 5 PM - 8 PM

GOOGLE + : 9 AM - 11 AM 

LINKEDIN: 5 PM - 6 PM

PINTEREST: 8 PM - 11 PM

Think about when you are scheduling your post. Start making note of times you have the most likes, comments, tweets, shares, messages, etc --- Remember CONSISTENCY is the KEY to Social Media Marketing Success!!!  

Boost Your Facebook Engagement

Is your small business on Facebook?

Are you looking for better ways to engage your fans?

Small businesses are winning on Facebook more than ever before.

Facebook can help you reach all the people who matter most to your business

Create the hub for your business on Facebook

Your Facebook Page makes your business:

• Discoverable: When people search for you on Facebook, they’ll be able to find you.
• Connected: Have one-on-one conversations with your customers, who can like your Page, read your posts and share them with friends, and check in when they visit.
• Timely: Your Page can help you reach large groups of people frequently, with messages tailored to their needs and interests.
• Insightful: Analytics on your Page will give you a deeper understanding of your customers and your marketing activities.

When you set up your Page, you can request a web address like facebook.com/lessocialsolutions which makes it easy to find. To maximize the impact, include this address on your business card, website and other marketing materials.

Remember: your Page is an extension of your business. It’s an easy way to share updates and more with the people who matter most. It’s ready to help you engage your customers on desktop and on mobile.

Don't forget to Post consistently.  being consistent in the quality and types of ongoing posts you create can help your audience know what kinds of messages to expect from you.  Schedule posts for when most of your audience is online. Check out www.buffer.com

Target your posts 

Depending on your goals, you may want to post something that will interest people in specific ages, genders or more.

Here's the easiest way to control who sees a particular post:

1. At the top of your Page click Settings, then click Post Targeting and Privacy and check the box
2. Then, begin writing a new post on your Page
3. When you're done, select the target icon in the bottom left corner and click Add Targeting
4. Target your post based on gender, interests, age, location and more. As you refine your targeting, you'll be able to see how many people your post could potentially reach.
5. Click Post

How to use Facebook to promote your business

1. 1Find out if your customers are on Facebook; and whether they expect to find your business there. If you run any kind of consumer-facing enterprise, such as a café, a shop, a plumbing business or an ecommerce website, many of your customers will want to keep in touch on Facebook.
2. 2Register for your free account. Getting started on Facebook is quick and easy. You don’t necessarily need a personal page to create a business page but it can be a good way to drive traffic to your business page.
3. Tell people you are on Facebook. Use other social networks, like Twitter, to post links to your Facebook page, put details of it on your website and all your marketing literature, and include a link below your email signature.
4. 4Make the most of your profile. Include appropriate images, a link to your website, an overview of your company and a description of your product or service.
5. Use keywords in your profile and posts that people are most likely to search for in relation to your product so your page appears more prominently in search engine results. A key advantage of having a Facebook page for your business is that customers will be able to find you more easily from their mobile devices.
6. 6Post content that people typically enjoy on Facebook. Images, in particular, tend to attract the most likes, shares and comments. According to Facebook, images account for 75% of content posted by brands. The content you post should show the human side of your business but make sure it is in line with your brand values and does not damage your reputation.
7. 7Use advertising to reach out to specific groups of people. Facebook allows you to target ads based on everything from location and demographics to behaviour and interests or even a combination of these.
8. 9Engage with your followers. Facebook users love to talk to real people and share their news and views. Reply to queries and respond to comments, including any complaints. You can also encourage discussion and feedback — positive user-generated content provides a very powerful endorsement for your business.
9. 8Direct people to your own website or blog from your Facebook page. Set your blog’s RSS feed so that you automatically publish snippets on your Facebook page to encourage followers to visit your website.
10. 9Reward your Facebook followers by running competitions or providing exclusive deals. Many people use Facebook to find special offers that aren’t available elsewhere.

Do:

• understand your Facebook audience
• create an appealing business page
• engage with your followers

Don't:

• be too formal or business-like
• post comments that could damage your brand
• ignore feedback

Need Help? Have questions?  Comment below and lets Boost your business using Facebook.  Les Social Solutions has a plan for you!!!